Post by htmb on Jul 20, 2015 10:55:01 GMT

Bjd, I thought about that when it was my right eye, but I'm incapable of using the viewfinder with my left, so this doesn't seem to be the problem. "Aging eyes" are the most likely cause. It happens to most people, but not typically to this extreme. Most don't even notice.

Post by Kimby on Jul 25, 2015 22:27:52 GMT

Htmb, you certainly DO know all about vitreous detachment, in TWO languages, too!

I wish I'd known about this thread when I had MY detachment in December. I also was on vacation but only in Florida, and was only 3 days from being home.

I came to the Free Clinic to start a thread about it and found yours.

Here's my experience, with comments from my two sisters who have also had this happen to them. Vitreal detachment is most common in nearsighted people, which my sisters are, but I am not. In my case, it took a jolt to start the detachment, and so far the other eye is fine.

Good thing, because the blurry center of vision in my right eye has greatly reduced my acuity to the point where I might need glasses for driving. We'll see. I have to renew my driver's license this fall and a vision test will be part of it.

"On Monday Dec. 1, I got whacked on the inner cheekbone or orbit by the plug of a heavy duty power cord that got snagged in the brush and came loose suddenly when I yanked it. Hurt like heck and swelled immediately but I don't think it hit my eye. I did recoil from the blow rather violently, though, and that may have caused the injury.

That afternoon, I started seeing bright semicircular lines flashing downward in my peripheral vision when I moved my eyes, whether my eye was open or closed.

The next morning I noticed a big vertical floater there, like a reflection seen out of the corner of my eye or birdpoop on a window, or like there was something stuck in my hair.

And when we walked on the beach at sunset, I thought I was seeing a flock of small birds, or big insects, but only in my right eye. I started seeing dots and tiny circles or haloed dots scattered across the sky like black snow. Called the eye doc in Montana for an appt. the morning after our return.

Wednesday morning I noticed "smoke" or smudges mixed in with the dots, but much less flashing. And while reading on the afternoon flight I could see floaters on both sides of the page. Not so much in the center."

From my younger sister: "Sounds to me like what I had. The flashes were retina issue - either a small detachment or tear, but my eye doc said not to worry unless I saw what looked like curtains coming down. The floaters were caused by the vitreous separating from the wall of the eye. They went away with time (or my brain learned to shut them out). No treatment - but he suggested I try not moving my head with jerking motions until the floaters and flashers settled down, which they did after a few weeks.

I had it happen in both eyes about 2 weeks apart, and just one week after it happened to (our youngest sister)"

Youngest sister's experience::" Mine were not caused by injury, but symptoms sound similar. The first one was sudden floaters in one eye. The second one was flashes (I thought I might be having a stroke) followed by floaters (one a greenish birdpoop like one). Both cleared up pretty quickly, though I now have more floaters than I used to, but they're not too worrisome. (Husband) had his lifelong horrible floaters removed from one eye (by vitrectomy) and is very happy with that." (He has since had the second eye treated. No more floaters.)

Mr. Kimby has had two vitrectomies, one for a detaching retina and the other an elective procedure to get rid of annoying floaters. Used to be no eye Doc would do vitrectomies on a healthy eye, but that is changing.

My central blurriness is probably where the vitreal detachment occurred. My floaters are long gone for the most part, but I am bothered by the blurriness in my formerly perfect vision. I keep thinking I can rub my eye and make it go away...

The takeaway info here: flashing lights in an eye are related to retinal stimulation, either from itself detaching, or from the vitreous pulling away from the retina as it shrinks with age. The blobs and lines and bird poop are blood from the detachment. IF IT LOOKS LIKE A DARK CURTAIN IS DROPPING OR BEING PULLED ACROSS YOUR EYE, HIE THEE TO AN EYE DOCTOR AS YOUR RETINA IS PROBABLY DETACHING.

Post by htmb on Jul 25, 2015 22:49:58 GMT

Kimby, I know how the floaters, flashes, and blurry eyesight can be very frustrating, particularly when your vision is impaired. Interesting about Mr. Kimby having had vitrectomies. Keep us posted about any progress you might make with this.

Post by Kimby on Apr 23, 2016 0:33:11 GMT

Kimby, I know how the floaters, flashes, and blurry eyesight can be very frustrating, particularly when your vision is impaired. Interesting about Mr. Kimby having had vitrectomies. Keep us posted about any progress you might make with this.

The floaters are all gone, long gone in fact, but my right eye still has bluriness due to the fact that my detachment occurred near the center of vision. In fact, my eye doctor says I'm on the borderline of needing glasses for driving. And I had perfect distance vision before. :-(